


Shattered Pieces of Memory

by Absent_Enigma



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Swapfell (Undertale), Angst, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gen, I should work on other fics but I want to do this too, POV First Person, POV Third Person, Physical Abuse, Whump, Whumptober 2020, and, and show some things that won’t be in other fic, as an excuse to write a sad backstory, at the beginning of each chapter or these tags will be long, backstory for Swapfell bros, or only mentioned briefly, prequel for Caffeine Fixation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:53:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 15,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26772472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Absent_Enigma/pseuds/Absent_Enigma
Summary: They would survive, one way or another. Live through all the obstacles thrown in their path. All they had to do was trust one another, no matter what happened as time passed by. But hope faded with every passing year, as there seemed to be no way out of this terrible place they called home.Sans made the best of it by making his way up in the royal guard‘s rank, becoming numb to the violence around him. Papyrus spent his time behind the scenes, looking for that way out while keeping his illegal and rule-breaking work under wraps.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just realized it was October and went ‘hey, I could use whumptober prompts to make a fic’ so...this fic is going to be snippets of backstory for the swapfell bros in Caffeine Fixation, because I have no chill and wanted to explore it. The chapters will not be in any sort of order or length, as the chapters will just go wherever the theme/prompt takes it.
> 
> Day 1 Theme/Prompt: Let’s Hang Out Sometime (waking up restrained/shackled/hanging).  
> [Sans 1st POV]  
> Warnings for this chapter/tags: violence, blood, psychological torment, broken bones, loss of limb, reset, nightmare of loss of limb.

Waking up in complete darkness was never a good thing, especially when one lived in the underground, where most places were already dark. 

The back of my skull pounded with the painful reminder of the strike that had brought me to this dark place. It was just my luck that, as a low rung member of the royal guard’s Snowdin unit, I was still targeted. Despite my best efforts, I continued to be seen as an easy victim to make use of.

The darkness may work on other monsters to unnerve them, but as a skeleton monster, I could at least make out my surroundings somewhat with my eye lights.

It was a typical, makeshift prison for enemies and prisoners. A small room with four walls, no windows, and a roughly made door that had no openings in it, to better keep the room in complete darkness.

A shift of my body indicated that I was strung up by chains and rope. The manacles clamped tightly around my wrists against my gloves held both my arms over my head. Keeping the enemy on tiptoe and in the dark was certainly a valid tactic, but not one that won’t work with me. It wasn’t like I had any muscles that would be strained in this position. At most I was mildly uncomfortable, in that the manacles were magic suppressors. The rope around my spine holding me awkwardly bent was more of an irritant, and the collar around my neck was more or less useless, as it didn’t even press against the front of my vertebrae.

Before I had more time to inspect my current predicament the door abruptly slammed open. My gaze rose from the restraints to the monsters that gathered in the room, all wearing cloaks and shielding their magic so that I couldn’t identify who they were. I straightened as best I could, preparing myself for the worst. Inwardly, I hoped that Papyrus had managed to avoid a similar capture. While the magic was hidden from me, these monsters’ intent were not. The intent to harm was overwhelming.

”Lookit what we got here.”

”Why did you bother with a skeleton?”

”He’ll fall apart in no time at all.”

I barely listened to the typical threats that followed, not intending to say a word, no matter what befell me. I wouldn’t betray the royal guard. The queen. My brother. I would take whatever these fools gave me, and would plan accordingly based off what happened now. What I wasn’t expecting was as much pain as these monsters decided to put me through.

Broken bones.

Marrow bleeding out from the cuts that were inflicted.

My HP trickled down bit by bit in between the larger chunks being taken away from me. My bones were alight with agony, and I was unable to fight back with my magic suppressed as it was. All I could do was hang from the manacles and take the harsh beating.

Another snap, and I felt my right arm further lose sensation as magic was prevented from fixing it before too much marrow was lost.

Dust drifted up past my eye lights, and I knew without looking that my ulna or radius was piecing apart from the slice of the knives and cruel blows of a monster‘s claws.

Soon, words made their way back to me, though not audible so much as remembering the promises they made.

They’d break me piece by piece. Leave me here to slowly dust between each visit, until I was finally nothing more than a pile of dust. They taunted me by saying that they would track down Papyrus, and give him similar treatment. Or perhaps they’d just dust him with a light tap, as sources mentioned that he only had one HP.

I broke at that, just as some of my ribs were struck with a blunt object. I foolishly spoke, snarling threats that came to mind, as to what exactly I’d do to them all if they so much as came within ten paces of Papyrus’ presence.

There was a lot of laughter.

I think.

My mind blanked out in agony as my words had earned me a thrashing, and as a final insult, my right arm completely dusted, leaving me to awkwardly hang from my left wrist, all of my weight on that wrist, still too far from the ground to properly rest my boots against it. A few more harsh strikes before my tormentors left me in the dark with a slam of the door, and the turn of a lock.

The pain barely registered now as I hung there, marrow slowing to a sluggish pace as it spilled forth from all of my accumulated wounds. There was the taste of dust between my teeth, my jaw unhinged from a particularly nasty punch.

My vision was hazy and dim. There was too much agony flowing throughout my body to allow me any clarity. My HP continued to tick down bit by bit, and despite no longer being actively beaten, my soul twisted with unease.

Then, all at once, my surroundings seemed to shift. Between one flicker of my eye lights and the next, I found that I was no longer in any pain. My arm...my arm was fine. It wasn’t missing. I was still in the dark place, as before, but...had I imagined all of that torture? Had the darkness truly affected me so much that I had pictured how I could be tormented?

When I checked my HP, I found that it was only missing what had been taken from me when I had been knocked unconscious.

I was given no time to confirm my surroundings as the same as before, because the door opened. Unlike before, those who entered the room were shadowy...less of a solid shape, which made me briefly wonder if my eye lights were not functioning properly from the strike to the back of my skull. Soon, however, that didn’t matter as my right arm was smashed against the wall above my head without warning. I had no time to bite back a sharp shriek of pain. It was so much worse than when my bones had been broken before.

But the bones were whole.

Nothing had been broken.

Not until now.

I’d only imagined the torture before.

One more punishing strike and I hung to one side, my right arm completely dusted. Another blow, this time to my chest, caused my soul to lurch. Over and over again I was put through hell as my body began to piece apart bit by bit as dust mixed with marrow.

Laughter and jeering continued in a loud cacophony all around me.

Cruel hands squeezed my spine, cracking in. Fingers pressed into injuries, twisting marrow slick bones and breaking off shards of broken bone that turned to dust.

My fangs parted and I-

I-

My eye lights flickered rapidly, chest heaving as I suddenly found myself staring up at a ceiling.

It wasn’t dark. Or at least, it wasn’t as dark as that terrible place I had been in.

I...

My gaze rapidly swung over my immediate surroundings, only relaxing marginally.

Was I at home?

I closed my sockets, attempting to quell my panicked soul, left hand gripping my right humerus tightly. Satisfied that I had my whole arm, I let out a slow, rather unnecessary breath.

I was in my bedroom.

At home.

I was lying on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, and drenched in excess magic, which caused my clothes to stick to my bones. 

Another nightmare.

That was all.

An irritatingly vivid one at that.

It had been...some time since I’d had one. It was usually Papyrus who experienced them. 

I frowned up at my ceiling, before propping myself up. I grimaced at the sight that greeted me. There were purple and white bone attacks of varying sizes stuck all around the walls of my room.

Hmm.

Perhaps the nightmare I’d just experienced was merely a reminder to not let my guard down as I embarked on my new job position that day. 

I _had_ to prove to the royal guard that I could do the job I was tasked with. I already had future plans in mind to rise within the ranks as quickly as I could, while never showing weaknesses that could be exploited. I would get as high of a rank in the guard as I possibly could. My life and that of my brother depended on it, with the harsh nature of our home.

A knock sounded on my door, followed by Papyrus poking his head into my room. His expression reflected concern, purple eye lights brightened at the sight of all the attacks stuck in the wall.

”bro?”

“YES?” I let go of my right arm and sat up. “WHAT IS IT?”

”thought I heard you scream.” Papyrus said quietly.

”IT WAS NOTHING.” I said, as I swung my legs off the side of my bed. With an impatient wave of my hand, the bone attacks dissipated, leaving only holes behind. “IT WAS MERELY A NIGHTMARE. PERHAPS BROUGHT UPON BY NERVES MAKING THEMSELVES KNOWN. NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.”

“you’ve got this, sans.” Papyrus said encouragingly, even as he stared at the walls again. “the captain of the royal guard saw potential in you, so you’ll do just fine.” Papyrus’ fangs twitched into a grin as he looked back to me. “since you got a better work ethic than me.”

”BY ACTUALLY SEEKING OUT WORK?” I questioned curiously.

Papyrus shrugged in that irritatingly enigmatic was of his.

”WELL, I WILL BE DOWN SHORTLY TO BEGIN BREAKFAST.” I said as I walked over to my closet. “GET THE INGREDIENTS OUT. I WILL NOT BE LATE TODAY OF ALL DAYS.”

”sure thing.” Papyrus eyed me for a moment longer before he backed away and closed the door. 

It sounded like he didn’t believe me about my nightmare. But it really wasn’t anything more than that. It was already at the back of my mind. I thought about the rounds I would be running today as I pulled out my new uniform and dressed. I swiftly tied my purple bandana around my neck. Fussing briefly with it, I stood tall and opened my door with my skull held high. I headed down the stairs to join Papyrus in the kitchen, ready to start my day.

I would not be late to my very first shift as a sentry.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 Theme/Prompts: In the Hands of the Enemy (“pick who dies”, collar, kidnapped).  
> [Papyrus 1st POV]  
> Warnings/tags: oc guard, violence, blood, beat downs, ultimatums, abduction, threats of violence, ambush, doubts over motivation, general angst and worry over Papyrus’ HP.

The underground was treacherous.  


I should have known better than to wander off on my own for a break from my post. The post my brother insist I take, to at least be under protection of the Snowdin unit of the royal guard.

But, as per usual, I’d been taking a snooze on my chair, skull propped up on my arms. No one had passed by and I had decided on a whim to go for a walk. I didn’t need Sans to come across me for a third time in a row passed out at my post, and not paying attention to my surroundings. Not that I’d been deeply asleep. Any enemy attack would have woken me immediately as I would have gotten out of the way and been gone before the attacker knew what happened to me.

On my walk through the snow?

I should have been paying better attention, even after I’d gained the company of Bonnie, on of the upper members of the Snowdin unit. She was one of a few rabbit monsters in the guard, and almost met me in height. But what she lacked in height she made up in bulk and formidable strength. I’d joked with her after we’d run into one another on one of her patrol routes. Bonnie was one of the few I knew I could do that with and not have repercussions happen, or have Sans try to bring an end to it for ‘distracting’ each other out in the open.

I’d have taken one of my brother’s cold scoldings in place of the ambush that was sprung on me and Bonnie.

Enemies of the Queen were numerous, and I was now a favorite target of those enemies, despite Sans’ higher rank in the royal guard.   


I guess it didn’t matter to them if it wasn’t me who was also a higher rank.

Neither Bonnie or I had time to react well to the overwhelming enemy numbers.

Bitterly, I thought Bonnie might have fought, had I not been taken down and pinned down in the snow, those wretched manacles that blocked a monster’s magic swiftly snapped around my wrists.

At least these enemies had learned that, despite my low HP, my magic wasn’t to be taken lightly.

My vision was obscured by a sack, since they couldn’t very well knock me out without risking me dusting before they could use me for whatever nefarious plan they had.

It didn’t mean they were gentle taking me wherever I was going to be held this time.

I was never going to hear the end of this from Sans, and anticipated being stuck in the house for a long time, until we figured out a way to further diminish monsters from trying to kidnap or otherwise attempt to dust me without at least a little pause.

There were always the whispers.

The whispers that talked about how Sans ought to have dusted me a long time ago. Dusted the brother who was so frail and a liability in such a dangerous place.

Since there wasn’t much I could do until the sack was taken off my skull, I enjoyed a brief closing of my sockets while a hung off the shoulder of one of my abductors. But the rest ended soon enough as I was none too gently dropped onto the ground, and the sack taken off my head. Knowing the drill by now, even if I hadn’t dealt with these particular monsters, I kept my skull resting on the floor, and didn’t attempt to tug at the manacles around my wrists. I also didn’t outwardly react except for a shrinking of my eye lights over the way the monsters beat Bonnie nearly to dust, many of them looking in my general direction.

The message was clear.

These monsters wanted to hurt me, but since they couldn’t do without dusting me with a hate-filled intent, they took out their rage on Bonnie instead, who had a bulk of HP.

It hurt anyway, inside, as my soul twisted with a guilt that continued to linger.   


Bonnie was one of few monsters in the guard that I knew would never betray me or my brother.

The rabbit guard spat out dust and blood, but otherwise Bonnie didn’t say a word.  


All I could see was the hateful look in her eyes, not bothering to hide it within her battered face.

The monsters that had brought us to the room left without a word. Without a demand. 

“They’re waiting for Alphys or one of the higher ranked officers to come looking for us.” Bonnie said in a low tone, spitting out another glib of dust and blood, wrinkling her nose as it twitched in distaste. “Idiots, the lot of them, right?”

I let out a noncommittal grunt, sagging further onto the ground.

”Hey, Papyrus?” Bonnie’s voice held that thin strand of concern. Something that was almost never present in the higher ranked officers. “Those cuffs...are they the ones that affect magic by suppressing it?”are they going to how long can you wear them before your magic is affected?”

“yeah.” I sighed as I shakily raised a hand to show just how hard it was to lift it. I could tell that Bonnie recognized the sigils sketched into the metal, as a cold anger rose.

”Why would they use those on you?” Bonnie demanded, painfully dragging herself to take a look at them. “Your HP is so low. What if they don’t take it off within the time limit? Your magic could be snuffed out.”

”maybe that’s the point.” I muttered. I was beginning to doubt with every passing moment whether Sans would show up when I and Bonnie heard screams. Then, some angry snarls began, before my brother’s voice rose over it all.

”WHERE IS HE? TELL ME OR I WILL END ALL OF YOU FOR NOT FOLLOWING THE LAWS AND RULES SET OUT BY THE QUEEN.”

I hadn’t expected for a response to be so close to the door to the room I was in.

“We shoulda just dusted them both. But...” the monster speaking sounded frustrated. “But we all know your LV is higher, but there are more of us and only one of you.” The voice became amused. “But I’m willing to let you choose which one gets to live,  since you took out the guy that was in my way of raising the ranks of my own group.”

”...OPEN THE DOOR.” Sans voice was sharp. “I WILL NOT ASK AGAIN.”

There were snickers, and a few brazen comments from some monsters as the lock on the door was undone.

”Bet he finally dusts his useless brother.”

”Give ya 5G if he does.”

”I’ll take that and raise you another 5G for a quick death.”

Sans was eerily quiet as the door was swung open.

I carefully turned my skull to one side to find Sans observing Bonnie and I on the floor, his expression devoid of compassion that used to be there years ago.

“ALLOWING YOURSELF TO BE CAPTURED, MONGREL?” Sans asked me dismissively. “WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED THAT YOUR INCOMPETENCE DRAGGED ANOTHER GUARD INTO THIS?”

For the first time in my life, I felt a spark of uncertainty and _fear_ at the sight of the emotionless look on my brother’s face. It shifted the faintest bit on the floor as Sans clasped his hands behind his back.

“WHY DO YOU ASK ME TO CHOOSE ONE?” Sans asked of the monsters behind him. “WHY WOULDN’T I JUST KILL BOTH OF THEM FOR ALLOWING THEMSELVES TO BE CAUGHT BY THE LIKES OF YOU?”

I felt confusion rise within the monsters behind my brother as they muttered amongst one another. I then sensed acceptance from Bonnie over Sans’ words, as if that were his final decision as the one who’d caught these monsters in the act of breaking laws and rules that had been set forth by the Queen.  


But me? 

I couldn’t help but let out a choked sound over the LV finally getting to Sans so much that he would even consider dusting me. But I didn’t say a word as I closed my sockets and wondered where I had gone wrong over the past many years. Hell, ever since I’d helped Sans live past being in stripes, really. This wasn’t my brother. This wasn’t how Sans had acted while a sentry. He’d still had dry jokes and an occasional smile. But right now, there was nothing familiar in Sans’ face. There was only a cold air.

Even if Sans was distant now, it was worth it in the end, encouraging him to enter the royal guard. Because no matter what happened to me, Sans was now a high enough rank in the royal guard to be protected from direct harm by both the captain, Alphys, and Queen Toriel. So long as he was of use to them, upholding the law and punishing rule-breakers.  


But the longer Sans was in the royal guard, the more I questioned if it really was the right decision.

I was useful to the Queen as well, what with my powers as a Judge. But I had to keep my silence to protect my brother from a truth that I didn’t want him to know about. That no matter how many monsters he dusted, to prevent me from having to fight, I wasn’t completely protected from gaining EXP and LV against my will.

“You know how it works.” One of the monsters said.

”By decree of the Queen, anyone who is outside of the protected areas is fair game.”

”Even the royal guard, if they are in certain zones.”

”And if the abductors are found out, half the monsters are allowed to leave before both parties per ways.”

”I KNOW THE LAWS.” Sans said stiffly, magic starting to manifest. “AND YOU KNOW THERE ARE STIPULATIONS TO ALL THE RULES.”

I continued to keep my sockets closed as I felt the presence of Bonnie and I’s tormentors vanish. It was quiet almost immediately, so Sans must have wasted no time in dusting them.

Traitors were always dealt with swiftly when they were obviously guilty of other law breaking. I could scent the hidden drugs in the area. Had those not been around, Sans likely would have captured them to be brought before the Queen. And if she decided they needed to be judged instead of sent on their way with punishment...that was where I came in.

The Judge.

The one who passed judgment, no matter the LV or EXP.  


No one knew who I was apart from the Queen.

I was obviously out of commission at the moment, so it was pure dumb luck that Sans was able to catch these monsters in the act of breaking several laws with the discovery of the drug cache. I heard Sans pass by me and a sense of healing magic rose.

He was...

Sans was healing Bonnie before dealing with his 1 HP brother.

It hurt to know I was lower on his priorities despite knowing deep down that that was not actually the case. But sometimes it was easier to just accept things as they were instead of fighting against the system in place in the underground.  


Sans had stopped a long time ago, accepting things for what they were.

It hurt my soul that he had to do that.

“GO REPORT TO THE CAPTAIN BEFORE SENDING A SMALL TEAM TO COME HERE AND CLEAN UP THE DUST.” Sans must have been speaking to Bonnie, because I heard her stand up. “YOU WILL ALSO INFORM ALPHYS THAT I WILL MEET WITH HER LATER TODAY TO SPEAK OF WHAT TO DO WITH MY BROTHER.”

I stilled further at that.

“HE WILL REMAIN AT OUR HOUSE UNTIL A DECISION HAS BEEN REACHED.”

I heard Bonnie leave and it was only after she was gone that Sans approached me. He said nothing until after he had undone the manacles and other restraints that had held me pinned to the floor. I had barely opened my sockets when Sans spoke.

“TAKE US HOME, MONGREL. NOW.”

Since my magic was no longer dampened, I did as I was asked. I reached out to grasp Sans’ arm before I used a shortcut. Our surroundings distorted, and we reappeared in our (surprisingly) undamaged living room.

Sans’ position as a higher ranking officer continued to keep our home safe, it seemed.

It was nice, not having to patch the windows and doors and other sections of the house.

I held perfectly still as Sans roughly checked me over for any obvious wounds, turning me this way and that, before he went ahead and healed up my HP that had been chipped away at at my transfer from the snow to...wherever I and Bonnie had been held.

“UP.” Sans said simply, less bite to his voice as he helped me to my feet, and led me upstairs to my bedroom. I said nothing at the sight of Sans scoffing over the state of my room. “SIT DOWN.” I did, and watched quietly from my bed as Sans tidied up. I tugged idly are my hoodie, which had luckily survived being tossed around. My soul leapt in surprise when, as soon as he was finished, Sans wrapped me tightly in a hug. I felt his smaller frame tremble against me.

“DO NOT EVER DO THAT TO ME AGAIN.” Sans voice was muffled against my hoodie.“I DID NOT KNOW WHERE YOU WERE. I COULD NOT SENSE YOUR MAGIC.”

“can’t make any promises, bro.” I muttered, stiffly moving a hand to gently pat his upper back. “ever since you rose up in ranks of the royal guard,more monsters have been attempting to dust me or use me as leverage against you.”

“I KNOW BUT I HAD ASSUMED THAT THEY WOULD STOP AND...” Sans fell quiet as he let go of me. I saw a frown tug at his fangs. “I SHOULD GO SPEAK TO ALPHYS NOW. STAY HERE. DO NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE.”

I didn’t have anything better to do, so I merely nodded as Sans raced off. I was still reeling from confirmation that my brother _did_ care about my well-being. It was stupid of me to not realize it. Sans couldn’t afford to outwardly show that concern for me while around others. 

It didn’t matter that I was the Judge.

Queen Toriel had made it painfully clear that I was to only use those powers within Judgement Hall perimeters. In the rest of the underground, I was not to show my Judge’s powers, which often left me reliant on getting out of trouble via a short cut. Or for Sans to bail me out of danger.

I wasn’t sure how long I sat there on my bed, lost in a daze, tightly clasping either of my humerus through my hoodie. It was easier to just follow Sans’ suggestion, the almost order, to remain where I was. It was easier than thinking. Easier than admitting to myself that I had encouraged my brother into his position, and I just had to deal with the fallout that came from that decision. I didn’t move until Sans knocked on my bedroom door before opening it and entering. I raised my skull to catch sight of a very unhappy look.

That didn’t seem...good.

“ALPHYS AND I SPOKE. WE AGREED THAT I NEED TO HAVE A WAY TO SHOW OTHER MONSTERS THAT YOU ARE NOT TO BE ATTACKED OR OTHERWISE HARASSED WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE, EVEN IF I AM NOT PRESENT.” Sans shifted from foot to foot, which showed his discomfort about whatever it was that he was about to suggest to me. “THE EASIEST WAY TO GO ABOUT THIS IS TO HAVE MY MAGIC WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES...”

I frowned at Sans but said nothing. I did blanch, however, at the sight of a thick black leather collar with golden rounded spikes around it.

“I KNOW.” Sans said of my reaction. “BUT DO YOU WANT TO BE LEFT TO GO ABOUT YOUR DUTIES WITHOUT CONSTANTLY BEING HARASSED, CAPTURED OR ATTACKED?”

I didn’t think I had the option to refuse. At least a collar was a less invasive than what some monsters did to keep track of other monsters who worked beneath them or were under their protection. A collar was removable. A magic sigil was not so easily removed from one’s body.

Sans must have seen my reluctant acceptance becuase he approached me and sighed. “IF IT COULD BE AVOIDED, YOU KNOW I WOULDN’T INSIST THAT YOU DO THIS.”

I dipped my skull and turned to the side to allow Sans to secure the leather collar around my neck vertebrae. It was buckled loosely but not enough to allow it to be pulled up and over the top of my skull. I swayed a little bit over the surge of magic before I clenched my hands into the sheets on either side of me. I hadn’t expected for Sans to put so much magic into the collar, because I immediately felt the need to fight against the urge to wrench the collar off. It was even harder to allow the magic to settle against my own like an invisible yet oppressive barrier. 

Sans didn’t say anything.

He wasn’t even looking at me as he stepped away.

I took a breath and let it out as I attempted to acclimate to the sudden sensation of Sans’ magic. As soon as I accepted its presence it mostly dissipated from immediate notice, so it wasn’t all bad. Soon, beneath all the threats the magic would presumably put out toward others, I could sense the fierce protectiveness and soothing aura beneath it that only I would have been able to sense. To other monsters, they would only be able to tell that I was under Sans’ protection and to invoke his wrath was something they didn’t want to do.

It was a little disconcerting when I reached for the back of the collar, only to jerk away when there was a painful spark.

“FOR NOW, I CANNOT LET YOU TAKE IT OFF.” Sans sounded uncomfortable again, still not looking at me. “WE NEED TO LET OTHER MONSTERS GET USED TO THE SIGHT BEFORE I CAN LET YOU TAKE IT OFF YOURSELF WHEN WE ARE IN OUR HOUSE.”

I said nothing and merely dipped my skull in a nod to show that I’d understood before flopping down onto my unmade bed with my back to Sans.

The door closed without a word.

I lifted a phalange and contemplatively traced the front of the collar, passing over the rounded golden spikes.

This incident only added further proof to how much I hated how things were run in the underground. It pushed me even further into figuring out a way to shift the balance of power and lessen the amount of rules a regular monster in the underground had to follow. That they wouldn’t have to live in fear of being executed for stepping out of line. I didn’t care in that moment if I put my own life on the line by hacking the royal scientist’s cameras and online monitoring if it meant a chance of a safer place for my brother and I.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I need to do this fic? No.  
> Did I want to do this fic?Yes.  
> I like prompts and it’s been awhile since I’ve made a fic out of a specific set of prompts.
> 
> Plus, I love to torment the characters that I like (before they get a happy ending elsewhere), so it actually works out really well with these two?
> 
> This fic is going to basically be my version of what the Swapfell bros went through before they ended up where they are in Caffeine Fixation. I didn’t want to bog that fic down with a lot backstory, so I figured this would work out well for kind of fleshing out their background.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 Theme/Prompts: My Way or the Highway  
> (manhandled, forced to their knees).
> 
> Tags/Warnings: child endangerment, witness to murder, child abuse, blood and violence, angst, first EXP and LV gain, and minimal hurt/comfort.
> 
> (Third Pov)

He was told to run and hide.

To take his brother with him, and not look back.

Papyrus knew, as he left, that this meant that he wouldn’t see the kindly monster that had taken in him and his baby bones brother.

One year was not nearly enough time to get Sans acclimated to the brutal world outside the shack at the top of one of the waterfalls. It was a wonder they hadn’t been found sooner.

Anything good in Papyrus’ life never seemed to last.

Sans was the exception.

The tiny baby bones was the only reason to go on in this terrible place. Papyrus felt, despite his young age, he might have been in danger of falling down otherwise. The underground held many high LV monsters, and Papyrus knew he and his brother were easy EXP to any monster who didn’t respect the striped clothing children wore.

The sound of a fight reached him, and it caused Papyrus to duck down into a crevice that was cracked into the side of a nearby cavern wall. 

Sans did not like the change in scenery from somewhat dim to near complete darkness.

“hey, shh, you’re gonna be okay.” Papyrus held the small bundle of crying baby bones close to him. He didn’t dare say anything more as Papyrus inwardly pleaded to his younger brother to quiet. The crying had at least diminished with his whispered words but Sans was still sniffling miserably. The baby bones had even begun to rattle within the tattered cloth of half a shirt that Papyrus had found behind an empty guard station in Waterfall.

Sans chose that moment to let out a loud wail that bounced off the rocky wall they were enclosed in.

Papyrus winced, sharp fangs clicking together as he futilely ran a hand over his hungry little brother’s back in an attempt to soothe him.

It didn’t help much.

Sans, when he tired of sobbing helplessly within the ratty shirt, took to rattling his bones even loser. His tiny fangs parted with a small pitiful cry as a small hand reached out to grasp Papyrus’ threadbare striped sweater.

The sound of a fight drew closer.

Papyrus curled his body around his brother, hugging Sans to his chest, soul sinking as though it were inevitable that they would be found.

Miraculously, Sans went completely silent as the little monster pressed his face to Papyrus sternum, trembling faintly.

Papyrus bit back a cry of his own as he saw, from the thin opening of the rock he was hiding behind, a monster dropped to the ground, dusting. To distract himself from the sight, he began to stroke the back of Sans’ small skull.

The quiet that followed lured Papyrus into a false sense of security. He immediately dropped Sans to the back of their hiding spot as something seized his leg and dragged him out. Papyrus rolled across the ground as he was tossed, and it was only with use of his magic that he managed to prevent himself from taking any damage. The toss had dazed him, however, though the monster that had seized him seemed more interested in the now very upset Sans bawling his little skull off.

The monster had a claw in the crevice, attempting to reach Sans, and Papyrus panicked, throwing out a single bone attack as he struggled up to his feet. Papyrus scrambled to one side, barely missing the monster as it diverted its attention from Sans to him.

Papyrus formed another attack, and dove to one side with a gasp, surprised when the monster shrieked with pain as the bone barely tapped its shoulder. Papyrus was baffled over the sight of the monster rolling around on the ground, spitting out curses and threatening further violence. Papyrus didn’t stick around. He ran to the rock wall and ducked half his body inside to reach Sans, whose face was scrunched up as if preparing to bawl some more.

”gotta be a good little baby bones and keep quiet, okay?” Papyrus told Sans as he picked him up and scooted carefully backward. “don’t want to be followed.”

Sans buried his face against Papyrus’ chest against as the latter ran away, taking the both of them away from the monster still writhing in pain.

Papyrus didn’t stop running until the other monster was out of sight. He couldn’t reassure Sans, however, because the monster from before had followed him, and knocked him over to the ground. Papyrus rolled again, keeping Sans tightly against him as he felt a few fractions of his pathetic HP taken from him. Sans clung tightly to him, as if sensing something wrong.

The monster coming after them bared their fangs and lunged, claws raking.

Papyrus winced as the claws came close to his ribs as they tore through his sweater, hands raised up to hold Sans out of harm’s way. Papyrus let go of his brother as he swung one hand down, not thinking as he brought out another bone attack as the monster lunged with its maw wide open.

The resounding scream of pain as the monster collapsed as they had before.

Papyrus got up as if to run away, but paused when he was as Sans curled up on the ground, whimpering. Then, Papyrus saw the purple marrow trickling from one of Sans’ arms. Papyrus turned toward the monster as it rose to tower over him. He couldn’t let this monster come after them over and over. Neither of them would survive to see tomorrow.

Nothing was said as Papyrus squared his narrow shoulders in front of the much stronger monster. A flare of magic seemed to come from out of nowhere, and suddenly, Papyrus could see. See the LV of the monster before him. Not nearly as high as he would have suspected. Papyrus’ right eye seemed to gather power, giving him a boost in magic that allowed him to bring forth a sharp strike of bones that skewered the monster.

The monster roared in pain before falling over, turning into dust before it could even reach the ground.

Papyrus jolted, not expecting to have enough ATK to do that much damage. Then the EXP hit him, driving him to his hands and knees, skull hanging as his LV ticked up. The sudden increase from no EXP caused Papyrus to collapse to the ground and go limp amid Sans’ crying. 

Time passed, but a hand gently touching Papyrus shoulder jolted him into awareness and he rolled over, baring his fangs with a hiss. Papyrus’ body started to quiver when he found Sans looking at him with a frightened look, tiny hand frozen in place.

“sorry.” Papyrus took a breath and let it out as he lay there on the ground alongside the dust of a monster. “just need to rest a little more. don’t feel too good.”

Sans stayed still for approximately one second before he moved his hand away from Papyrus’ shoulder to determinedly crawl and plant himself against his older brother’s chest. 

“we’re safe. it’s okay.” Papyrus felt a calming sensation wash over him. It was coming from his brother. Papyrus carefully rested a hand against the back of Sans’ skull. Who knew the little baby bones could already use magic, and healing magic at that. It was a rare ability, in the underground. “thanks, bro. you’re so cool already and you can’t even speak.”

Sans skull lifted to look at Papyrus before a little smile graced his tiny teeth.

Papyrus cuddled the baby bones, offering comfort in return after Sans had tired himself out from using magic. Papyrus shakily stood, carrying Sans to a safe alcove in Waterfall where no one would find them.

For now.

Papyrus lay on the ground, keeping Sans close. He was going to protect his brother no matter what the underground threw at them. Papyrus sockets closed wearily. 

LV 3.

LV 3, and he was only 9 years old.

No child in stripes should have had to gain LV, but with the way the underground was apparently changing over the years, it must be inevitable.

Papyrus was so tired, and the magic boost he’d somehow gained hadn’t completely vanished from him. His bones felt all prickly and he felt agitated from where he was lying down. Papyrus pressed his skull down against the top of Sans’. Papyrus would worry about what LV gain meant for him later.

For now, he desperately needed a nap.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 4: Theme/Alternate Prompt 1: Running Out of Time (punctured)  
> [Papyrus 1st POV]  
> Warnings/Tags: violence, blood, implied stabbing, genocide timeline, violence done by an ally, self-loathing, bleeding out, character death (temporary), reset, defeatist talk.

I was bleeding marrow profusely, in a state of shock over how he injury had come about.

A royal guardsman had struck me from behind in rapid succession, the intent held back enough that I didn’t dust immediately upon impact.

”Captain should have dusted you years ago.” Was the accompanying growl of my supposed ally in the guard.

I didn’t stick around for the finishing blow, not wanting to give the guard the satisfaction of dusting me. A shortcut was difficult but doable, and I was suddenly alone in the snow on the outskirts of Snowdin.

An agonized groan was pulled out of me as I tottered over to a tree to hide myself from view. Not that I thought that anyone was still around. Not after that human child had gone through and dusted many without hesitation.

I chucked grimly before quieting as marrow spilled past my fangs, along with dust.

Pathetic.

My HP was tiny decimals at this point, and I honestly didn’t know why I wasn’t already dead.

Sans was gone.

Alphys was gone.

All on the whim of some kid who thought it was fun to kill monsters and then start it all over again, to try different ways to torment us.

Kid wouldn’t be seeing me this time around, considering I found myself slumped against the tree I’d sat beneath. Not sure when that happened, but as my HP ticked down, my vision flickered in and out until my eye lights finally just went out.

Darkness and burning pain now.

I really was pathetic.

I couldn’t protect my brother, and I couldn’t even protect myself from my own allies. Allies who thought I was useless, because Queen Toriel didn’t want them to know my true nature as a Judge.

Shame.

Maybe if she had, I wouldn’t be almost dead.

I felt all the puncture wounds, littering my ribs spine, and one femur. 

Numbness came soon after, and I didn’t fight against the welcoming sense of oblivion where I was no longer in pain, or had to think.

Nothingness stretched out before me and I was glad of it.

No responsibility.

No worries.

It never lasted.

I was back in my home, on the couch, and staring up at Sans as he leaned over me with a scowl tugging at his fangs.

Guess it was time to get up and do this all over again.

Maybe I wouldn’t dust this time.

Maybe we would capture the human.

As I was shooed off the couch by Sans, and buckled the collar around my neck, I found that I cared less and less what happened.

If everything was going to be reset back to the beginning of the human falling to the underground, why bother doing anything if everyone dying was inevitable?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 Theme/Prompts: Where do you think you’re going? (On the run, failed escape) chapter kind of ran away on me  
> [Papyrus 1st POV]  
> Warnings/Tags: genocide timeline, violence, blood, hopelessness, character death (temporary), loads and resets, mental distress, insanity, descent into madness, memory loss of an event.

I was locked into another timeline where the human killed all the monsters they came across.  


And since I was one of the few monsters left, I knew what would happen should I wait for the human in Judgment Hall.

I was breaking the twisted script this time.

I wasn’t going to kill the human over and over, only for them to dodge all my attacks and deliver the killing blow. I wasn’t going to let the human have EXP from killing me. They could go see the Queen without it.

But I underestimated the human’s determination this time around.  


I was getting sloppy after all the resets.

They would never turn down EXP if they believed they could defeat the monster they wanted it from.

But I was exhausted.

Nor thinking things through.

I had long since lost track of how many times the timeline had been reset.

But I only had one goal in mind right now.

Avoid the human until they got bored and reset the timeline, or kill the human should they let their guard down.

I was running, and knew that I couldn’t keep it up for much longer. My body was too worn out from all the constant moving, and the use of my shortcuts, which only wore me out even further.

In the back of my mind, I was berating myself fro failing to save anyone this time, numbly recalling the way Sans had dusted in front of me despite me frantically trying to heal the damage. 

Within Waterfall, I finally collapsed, my body pushed to its limits. Skull on the ground, I felt my bones rattle against my will. I made a futile attempt to pull myself together and get up, but it was too late.

The human had caught up to me, my bones rattling louder as they carelessly stomped down on one of my arms.

“This isn’t how it is supposed to happen.” The kid complained loudly. “You’re suppose to fight me in Judgement Hall.” The human presses down harder, threatening to crack my ulna. “It’s boring if you just run away like a coward. At least Sans actually puts up a decent fight.”

I skewered the human with a sudden flurry of bone attacks, even if I knew it was useless. I laughed softly as I felt the world shift around me, and the human is back, uninjured and standing in front of me looking both irritated and pleased. I used a shortcut when they didn’t attack right away.

And then used another.

Reset.

I needed everything to reset. 

I wanted my brother back.

I managed to do a few rounds of hide and seek with the human, annoying them as I used my shortcuts to remain just out of reach. My last shortcut brought me to the Core, and unfortunately, I succumbed to sleep because of how tired I was. But I woke when an agonizing pain tore through my ribcage and across my sternum.   


Ordinarily I would have reacted with one last attack of my own.

But this time, I didn’t.

I didn’t even make a sound. I merely lie there, staring up at the rocky ceiling overhead. My eye lights were already flickering and threatening to go out as my bleeding ribcage struggled to rise and fall with false breaths. I didn’t try to reason with the human. There was no point to it any longer if all they wanted to do was kill again and again.

”Maybe a change is in order.” The human child tsked in disappointment. “Maybe you won’t be so boring then.”

The scenery faded around me before my eye lights finally extinguished, and I felt my soul cracking.

Then, the familiar nothing greeted me, right before I was suddenly in my bedroom, on my bed, and staring up at the ceiling.

”PAPYRUS!” Sans’ raised voice called out. “LAZY MONGREL! YOU BETTER NOT STILL BE ASLEEP! I WON’T ALLOW YOU TO BE LATE TO YOUR SHIFT FOR A THIRD DAY IN A ROW!”

Ordinarily I would reply to Sans’ yelling, but something this time made me unable to hold back as choked sob over hearing my brother’s voice.  


Sans was alive.

A reset.

A reset had happened.

And I remembered everything, every detail, down to the way Sans’ dust had fallen through my fingers.

I pressed a hand over my sockets, my bones softly rattling.

”PAPYRUS!” Sans’ voice was closer to my door, until he opened it. “WHAT IS TAKING SO-“ Sans fell abruptly silent when he noticed that silent tears were escaping my socket.   


I couldn’t be sure how Sans would react but I needn’t have worried. Despite being captain of the royal guard, he was still my brother and knew when I was having a terrible time keeping myself together. Even if Sans didn’t understand why, he understood that I couldn’t do my job if my mind was distracted.

”I will cover for you today, brother.” Sans’ voice had gone down in volume. “But we will discuss what is bothering you later.”

I just nodded, and Sans retreated, leaving me to my sombre mood.   


This was the tenth time something like this happened. I knew that as soon as I got myself out of bed, I would find a note indicating that I should eat the meal Sans left in the fridge, and to at least stick my kill pit the back door for some fresh air, and that he would be back that evening.

I remained in my bed for as long as I could handle it before leaving and going down the stairs.

As expected, there was the note, and read pretty much exactly how I thought it would.

I couldn’t keep doing this.  


The resets were going to drive me mad, and the loads weren’t going to help the matter.

I knew the loads had happened because I read the note four times before I finally got to eat the meal left for me.

By the time Sans returned home, I was reaching a breaking point.

Three loads after my meal.   


Two when I laid down on the couch.

Five before my brother returned home.

Ten as we held a conversation that never seemed like it would end.

I let out a little hysterical laugh when I was on the couch again, and let out a few more helpless chuckles as Sans entered the house. He gave me a funny look as he closed the door and locked it.

”WHY ARE YOU-“

”laughing like that?” I finished for him, waving a hand airily as I continued on. “why are you on the couch? have you been there all day? have you eaten the food i left for you?” I could see the disturbed yet worried expression that crossed Sans’ face, and I couldn’t help myself as I continued to supply his words for him. “do you need to go see undyne? she should check to make sure you’re all right. you aren’t acting like yourself. how do you know what i’m going to say?” I let out a short, forced laugh as I pressed my hands against my sockets.

The silence from my brother was new.

At least something was different.

I think I might have gone mad if he’d insisted that he take me to go see Undyne. But even my sometimes scientist friend couldn’t help me. No one could. I was trapped and this was the price to pay for being able to remember everything.

A slow descent into madness because I couldn’t just forget like everyone else.

Sans had moved closer to me, before I felt his hand test the magic in the collar around my neck.

I couldn’t help but snicker.

Sans thought his magic was disrupting my mind? I barely noticed the protective magic most days. No, it wasn’t my brother’s fault I was slowly losing my mind.

It was the human.

The loads and resets.

”I Am Going to Have Undyne Come Here, As Loathe As I Am To Have That Crazed Madwoman In Our Home.” Sans said, hand drawing away from the collar.

”won’t help.” I mumbled, before letting out a very high pitched giggle that made Sans immediately start to wrap me up in any blanket he could find. As if the weight of the blankets would help soothe me like they did during my panic attacks.

”...WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE FLOOR?” Sans asked.

I blinked, seeing that I was no longer on the couch.

Ah.

This was yet another familiar scene.

Was it the sixth or seventh time?

”IF YOU’RE GOING TO-“

”-sit on your coccyx, at least do something productive, such as checking the cameras at your station?” I cackled maniacally at the look on Sans’ face. Oh, I shouldn’t have said anything because now that I had, I couldn’t help but continue to fill in the statements for my brother until he finally went silent and stared at me. I laughed again, pretty sure it was higher pitched again than usual and sounding pretty hysterical.

”i can’t keep doing this, bro.” I said, when again I found myself on the floor, lying down this time. I heard Sans enter the house after his shift. I didn’t care that tears were falling down, my fangs tugged up into a humorless grin. “can’t take it anymore. it would be better if i just stayed dust.”

“You’re so pathetic.”  


That wasn’t my brother’s voice.

”Here. I’ll give you something to think about while Sans gets to see what it is like when everyone is killed around him. Maybe he’ll be more fun than you.”

I barely managed to get to my feet when I felt the familiar pain slash across my ribs and sternum. I collapsed soundlessly to the floor in a heap of leaking marrow, rattling softly as the human left the house. I felt my single HP trickle down toward zero when the door suddenly slammed open.

”PAPYRUS! THE HUMAN HAS BEEN SPOTTED-“ Sans’ voice immediately cut off as soon as he caught sight of me. “...Papyrus?”  


This was new.

It still hurt, though, to know that the human was toying with me by setting their sights on my brother. It was a small mercy that Sans wouldn’t remember me turning to dust in his arms as he desperately tried to heal me.

The nothingness of being nowhere and everywhere all at once welcomed me again, before spitting me out into a timeline where I did something...something different. The nothingness happened at some point during that timeline, before I was again in my home.

But something was off.

Wrong.

My vision in my right socket was blurry, and there were voices all around me, arguing over my condition in a cacophony of voices I couldn’t make sense of.

Quiet descended.

It could have gone on for days.

Weeks.

Months.

Years.

And then I heard the human’s voice, their child-like tone filled with gleeful vindictiveness.

”That was some stunt your pulled, and for once, I don’t think you’ll remember it.” A finger pressed just above my right socket, causing pain to spread throughout my skull. “But this should be a little reminder of what happens when you don’t play by my rules.” The finger moved away from the socket.

Maybe I fell asleep.

Maybe I was never awake in the first place.

Because the next time I was fully aware, I was back in my room as usually happened with a reset.

Something else new happened.

Sans, after yelling at me to get up, entered and stopped short. His eye lights flickered back and forth in alarm before he was suddenly before me, hands on either side of my skull as checks fell rapidly on me. 

I was confused until Sans spoke.

”What happened to your right socket? Why is there a large crack going through your socket?” Sans looked furious. “Who did this? Where Are They? I’LL DUST THEM!”

I shook my head silently before I noticed something else.

”sans...i can’t see out of that socket.”

Something was wrong, and I couldn’t remember why. There was just a sense of dread that lingered, as if I’d forgotten a very important face. But along with that, I held a sense of unease.

Of being unable to escape, no matter how far I ran.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 6, Theme/Prompts: Please... (“get it out”, no more, “stop, please”)  
> [Papyrus 1st POV]  
> Tags/Warnings: violence, angst, branding(?) via magic sigils, faint compulsion magic, forced job position, ultimatums, implied harm of child if there’s a refusal, more angst, physical and mental trauma, LV gain.

I knew it was pointless to try to hide or run from the royal guardsmen. I wasn’t in the best of shape, since I’d been making sure Sans was getting enough food to sustain his magic. Unfortunately, this meant that I wasn’t able to call on enough energy and concentration to use a short cut to avoid being cornered.

What stopped me from fighting back was the thought of leaving Sans all alone to fend for himself in this hell. So, as much as I wanted to try and avoid the guardsmen, I didn’t. Not that they would have let me slip away, anyway, not with how many of them were after me. I couldn’t imagine why. It wasn’t like I was any different than the many many monsters just trying to scape by. 

Being manhandled until I was over one of the larger monsters shoulders was a little humiliating but I took it as a chance to take a quick nap to regain my depleted magic levels. Given the chance, I would shortcut away, depending on why I was being brought in by the royal guard. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to be dusted, since they could have easily already done so.

The journey through the underground took us all the way to where Queen Toriel lived, and I felt trepidation as I was carried through an unnerving hallway that led into a throne room of sorts. I couldn’t help but shrink against the guardsmen’s shoulder when I heard the Queen’s voice for the first time.

It was cold and detached.

Bored, yet with a hint of interest.

“You are sure this monster is the one?”

Her voice made me shiver involuntarily. There was something I couldn’t put my finger on but I believed if I said or did something wrong in that moment, I would be dusted without a second thought.

”Yes, your majesty. The magic output matches what the device the royal scientist gave us.”

”Put them down. I will confirm.”

I didn’t like the sound of that but there wasn’t much I could do as the guardsmen easily moved me from shoulder to the floor, a large hand claming around a femur to keep me from running away. I doubted I could move anyway, what with my mind screaming at me to not make a wrong move in the presence of the Queen. It felt so wrong and it made me want to rattle my bones. I went perfectly still when one of the Queen’s large paws slid under my jaw to tilt my head up.

Scars were everywhere, marring the Queen’s face as dead eyes stared down at me. Even her ears were ragged and torn in places, one side of her mouth twisted up from an old battle wound.

”What is your name?”

I could lie but I doubted I could manage to make it sound believable. “...papyrus.”

”Papyrus...can you see other monster’s souls?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer that. We never showed our souls to others. It was much too dangerous.

”Let me rephrase that.” The Queen said, paw gripping beneath my jaw harder. “Have you ever seen all that a monster is made of, their innermost thought put on display in that moment? Their power and LV shown in a brief instant?

I stiffened up as I realized what was being asked of me, and becuase I had seen what was mentioned. But I had just assumed that everyone could see what I could see. I finally felt the Queen’s hand move away from my jaw as I heard her let out a pleased sigh.

”I was wondering how many more decades it would take before a new Judge was born.”

Little did I know those words sealed my fate then and there.

-x-x-x-

Another day, another forced visit to Queen Toriel in the hallway called Judgement Hall.

I hadn’t even made it out of my house before a royal guardsmen wrangled me and brought me all the way to said hall. I had lost track of how many times this had happened since I’d been given the unwanted job position of the Judge. The last time I had avoided doing my new job was the last time I would be able to choose to not show up.

Queen Toriel let me know it by not even explaining why I was there. She merely acted, and showed just how little she cared for my feelings on the matter. With a wave of her hand, I found myself forced onto the ground face-down, and my sweater yanked up to trap my arms as they were held down. 

I struggled to get away, thinking to shortcut, when sharpened weapons were pressed against me, forcing me to remain still. The worst part of the whole process was my soul being drawn out, and I was confused over the way one of the guardsmen wrapped healing magic around it.

The first drag of a claw deep into the bone of my scapula clued me into the Queen’s plan. I’d heard of magic sigils being used to get monsters to do the bidding of others, when a collar wouldn’t do the job.

I could feel marrow welling up from the cuts the Queen forcefully drew into bone, and there was nothing I could do to stop it, so I merely allowed my body to rattle as a little piece of my freedom was taken from me. The pain seemed to go on for hours when in reality I doubted it took more than a minute. I felt the foreign magic settle into the sigil drawn into my scapula, and I didn’t say a damn thing because I knew it wouldn’t help me at all’s and might only make things worse. The bleeding sigil was left unhealed and I knew I had to get up when the weapons moved away from my body and the sweater was unceremoniously tugged back down, aggravating the would a little bit. My soul, thankfully, was returned at about the same time.

”When I tell you the Judge is needed, you will be here.” Queen Toriel said as I sat up. “And since the guards have seen you appear and vanish at will, I will not have you shirk your duty to monster kind. You will come here to Judgement Hall immediately, or there will be consequences. I have allowed your childish avoidance for too long, and I won’t hesitate to use underhanded tactics to make you do your job.”

I didn’t say anything. I just sat there, trying and failing to ignore the dull ache in my left scapula.

”And if you do not believe I won’t cross lines most wouldn’t dare in the past...” Queen Toriel turned to a guardsmen and nodded. 

I felt like I might throw up some magic right then and there at the sight of Sans excitedly bouncing on his feet between two other guards. Then he brightened when he saw me and ran over. My soul clenched painfully and twisted with unease as Sans launched himself into me and wrapped his arms around my neck. I automatically wrapped him in a hug, hands tightly holding the striped shirt my brother wore. The Queen was right. This was underhanded yet effective. I wouldn’t let anything happen to Sans. He was still in stripes for another handful of years. 

“There’s a monster due for a meeting with the Judge.” Queen Toriel said. “And I think you already know the consequence in refusing today?”

The guardsmen that had been with Sans came forward and to my dismay, my little brother got excited.

”Going To Go On A Patrol On The Way Home!” Sans told me, squeezing me in another hug before racing over to the guards, still bouncing in unrestrained excitement. 

Once my brother and the two guards were gone, Queen Toriel signaled another guard, who brought in another monster who looked haggard and resigned.

I stood up, feeling a crawling sensation on my scapula. I didn’t want to find out what the magic sigil did. Not today. 

“Do your job and your brother will be left alone.”

-x-x-x-

I returned home late that night. So late that Sans was already fast asleep in his bedroom and curled up in a cocoon of blankets and sheets. My fangs twitched into a weary, fond smile before I went into my own room and collapsed onto the bed. The ache remained in my scapula, but the sensation of foreign magic was fading.

For now, I assumed.

The next morning, the phone I’d been given months ago rang, and I knew that I was being called to go be the Judge.

It was too soon.

I hadn’t even gotten used to the LV I had just gained yesterday. But I knew I had to go. I wouldn’t put Sans in danger like that. Not after the warning I had gotten yesterday. But as soon as the phone stopped ringing, I felt a cold, painful burn in my left scapula. I winced and before I even thought things through, I used two shortcuts to appear in Judgement Hall.

Queen Toriel was standing there, waiting for me, and I hated the way she smiled at me.

”It seems the sigil is more effective than a call. Pick up lest you want to feel the magic. I do believe it isn’t the best for a sigil to be used too often, since it can eventually negatively effect another’s magic flow.“ Queen Toriel turned and left the hall. “You have three judgments today.”

I felt the tingle of magic linger in my scapula, and hated the Queen even more in that moment for removing my ability to refuse to dust a monster unless my life or my brother’s was in danger.

One monster was guilty.

The second monster was innocent through the guilt of the third monster.

I was exhausted by the time I went home but Sans was safe.

A nine year old monster who still believed that the world wasn’t completely cruel.

I was...sixteen, and was already at a LV of 6.

It hurt.

Everything hurt.

But I knew that I would do my job as the Judge. Take the EXP and LV, unless someone else finished off the guilty monster, regardless of LV. I would do as Queen Toriel asked of me, at least until Sans was an adult, and I knew for certain that he would able to take care of himself.

Until then, I would endure, despite my soul crying out in denial at the burn of EXP and magic that came from my position as Judge.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 7  
> Theme/Prompts: I’ve got you (support, carrying).  
> [Sans 1st pov]  
> Tags/Warning: questioning motives, off-screen injuries, quiet moments, defeatist talk, false optimism.

I was still shaking from the EXP I had gained in a confusing moment of an ambush. I remembered grinning wildly and baring my fangs at the idiots that thought they could take on my brother and I.

We were part of the royal guard!

I was second in command to Alphys!

I was respected as a leader in Snowdin’s unit!

And despite all that, I was still shown such disrespect that I doubted I would ever get any recognition and admiration until I was captain of the entire royal guard.

But such thoughts could be left for later as I surveyed the aftermath of the ambush with a sneer.

Dust was everywhere.

I fastidiously removed the specks from my armor. I would have to spend a bit longer cleaning my bandana. Straightening up, I stretched and began my search for where my brother had gotten to. Since I’d long since closed off my soul to outside interference, I was unable to feel where his soul was in return. Or tell how he was doing after our second ambush of the day. Hiding my unease when Papyrus didn’t immediately show up with that damned lazy smile, I spoke aloud in a clipped manner. “STUPID MONGREL, I BETTER NOT FIND YOUR DUST MIXED WITH THESE FOOLS THAT DARED TO ATTACK MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL GUARD.”

No answer, until I listened closely and heard the faintest sound of bone clacking against bone. I moved quickly, carelessly stomping through dust and clothes until I came across my brother. Pressing down the concern lest someone sense it, I looked Papyrus over, running a brief check. 

Papyrus

LV 12 ATK 5 DEF 2 KR status: unstable

HP .5/1

*Wants you to let him go already

”STUPID MONGREL. DON’T THINK SUCH FOOLISH THOUGHTS.” I muttered as I awkwardly slid one of Papyrus’ arms over my shoulder, and braced him as I held him up. “HAVE YOU ENOUGH MAGIC TO TAKE US HOME?”

”...no, m’lord.” Papyrus rasped out, his whole body heavy even as he attempted to keep himself upright.

”Then we will find a place without eyes to heal you up.” I whispered, not daring to let those words reach anyone but my brother.

Papyrus said nothing as I led him through the dust around our feet and over to an overhang of a ledge in Waterfall.

It was funny, in a morbid way, how we always had trouble with other monsters while in Waterfall.

Papyrus continued to be silent while I healed the injuries that he had sustained, doing my best to ignore the sight of his terribly low HP healing up far too quickly. 

One attack with hate-filled intent and he would be dust.

”why do you bother with me?” Papyrus asked quietly.

I found my brother had a few fingers wrapped around the collar around his neck.

”wouldn’t it be easier if i wasn’t around?” Papyrus continued on, staring down at the ground. 

”WHY WOULDN’T I WANT MY OWN BROTHER TO BE AROUND?” I asked incredulously. “WHY WOULD I HAVE GIVEN YOU THAT COLLAR IF I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE SURE I COULD PROTECT YOU IN ANY WAY I COULD IN THIS PLACE?”

”we both know the other guards don’t like me, and i’m pretty sure most are just waiting for you to dust me.” Papyrus still wouldn’t look at me. “pretty sure there are bets.”  
  
“WHO HURT YOU?” It was the only reason I could think that my brother would act in this manner. Yes, my own actions around others likely lended to my brother’s deteriorating mental health, but I wanted us both alive.

“no one.” Papyrus said after a moment of silence. His hand curled tighter around the collar. “it’s just truth. i’m only going to hold you back from getting Alphys’ position.”

”LET ME WORRY ABOUT MY POSITION IN THE ROYAL GUARD.” I told Papyrus. “CAN YOU TAKE US HOME NOW?” I almost fell over when the scenery changed after my brother’s free hand lightly grasped my arm.

We were home.

I watched as Papyrus tottered over to the couch and collapsed onto it without a sound. I didn’t know what to do, so I did what I usually would and went to go make us some dinner.

Papyrus was asleep by the time I finished.

I scoured the house for any hidden recording or audio devices and finding none, I sat down along side the couch and grasped my older brother’s hand, waking him up as he uttered a small noise of confusion.

”WHATEVER IS WRONG, I’LL TRY TO MAKE IT RIGHT.” I felt Papyrus hesitantly squeeze my hand in return, a faint hint of a smile across those sharp teeth.

”you’re so cool, bro. no matter what.”

”DON’T LET GO OF HOPE, BROTHER.” I said firmly. “JUST YOU WAIT! A HUMAN WILL FALL INTO THE UNDERGROUND! AND ONCE THEY DO, WE WILL BE ABLE TO REACH THE SURFACE!”

”sure thing, bro.” Papyrus tiredly sighed, his eye lights winking out. From the switch of addressing me as “m’lord”, I knew that he was exhausted, both mentally and physically. I watched Papyrus drift back off, his chest rise and falling steadily. I couldn’t help but worry right now. Worry like I hadn’t in years.

Something was troubling Papyrus, and I didn’t have the slightest idea of what it could possibly be.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 8  
> Theme/Prompts: Where did everybody go? (“don’t say goodbye”, abandoned, isolated)  
> [Papyrus 3rd pov]  
> Tags/Warnings: character death (on and off screen), violence, blood, 1st reset

The human was tenacious.  


Papyrus hadn’t been prepared to have to fight such a long battle without any rest to regain his magic. Papyrus also hadn’t anticipated the human returning to Judgement Hall after he had killed them the first time.  


And then again.

And again.

Over and over Papyrus killed the human only for them to come back. 

Each time, they got closer and closer to Papyrus, and he was barely able to dodge the attacks.

It was inevitable, it seemed, for the human to finally land a fatal attack across Papyrus’ ribs and sternum.

Laying in marrow, Papyrus barely noticed the way the human walked toward the throne room without looking back. As if Papyrus were merely a nuisance to overcome. 

It was quiet.

Quiet, other than the shaking of Papyrus’ body as he felt his HP tick down decimal by decimal. It was torturous. Waiting for an end he knew would come.

Papyrus didn’t want to stay here.

He didn’t want to be alone.

But no matter where he chose to go, if he even had enough magic to, would take him to other monsters.

Sans....

Papyrus could still feel the dust slip through his fingers when he came across his brother’s clothes in the snow. 

With a choked, dust filled cough, Papyrus found it within himself to be able to shortcut into the living room of his house.

He couldn’t muster the will or energy to use a second shortcut. So Papyrus dragged his marrow soaked self as far the staircase that led upstairs. It was where his strength left him. Papyrus sockets closed as he raggedly coughed, dust gathering between his fangs.

Not dead yet.

Why hadn’t he let go yet?

Everything hurt.

With one last desperate burst of magic, Papyrus used a shortcut to his brothers room, bleeding marrow and scattering dust all over Sans’ floor.

Papyrus laboriously inched across the floor until he made it to the middle of the room. That was where his second wind left him, and he tried his best to ignore the sensation of dusting piece by piece. With a slow sigh, Papyrus shakily took Sans’ purple bandana out of his hoodie‘s pocket, before grasping it tightly.  
  
Alone.

He was alone.   
  
If there were any monsters left after the human’s destructive killing spree, they would do well to stay away from places already wrought with death and dust.

Papyrus’ sockets closed.

The silence lingered, and then, the world seemed to shift around him.

It was the first time he experienced true darkness.   
  


Nothingness everywhere and nowhere all at once.

Papyrus’ sockets flew open, eye lights pinpricks as he registered a voice yelling at him, followed by a familiar face with an irritated scowl.

Sans...

He was...

He was alive.

Papyrus didn’t pay attention to the words. Just paid attention to the strong pulse of Sans’ soul, and reached up to drag his brother into a rarely given hug as he broke down.

Alive.

Papyrus heard Sans let out a grumbling sigh but allowed himself to be held. Sans clearly could tell that something was wrong, but Papyrus didn’t think he could bring himself to say anything.

The human...

What had they done?

Hiw were they both alive again?

Did it have to do with how the human kept coming back after Papyrus killed them over and over again? It seemed that that phenomenon merited some investigation.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 9:  
> Theme/Prompt: For the greater good (“take me instead”)  
> (Papyrus and Sans, 1st POV)  
> Tags/Warnings: character death, experiencing genocide run to the end for the first time (Sans), violence and blood, despair, grief and mourning, reset, sense of missing memories.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

It wouldn’t happen this time.

I’d not stopped keeping count.

36.

The human had dusted by brother 36 times.

I wouldn’t allow the human to kill my brother for the 37th time. I knew when and where they would fight. I’d even caught sight of the tail end of a battle that always resulted in Sans’ death.

Not this time.

The human wouldn’t have my brother’s dust on their hands this time.

I was quicker than either of them, even if I didn’t pack as much as a punch as Sans or Alphys.

The human’s eyes widened in surprise as I appeared in front of Sans, taking the slice of that knife directly to my sternum. I collapsed to my knees, still keeping in front of my brother. I laughed hoarsely at the shock, even when the human lunged forward and plunged the knife into my right eye socket. I jerked back, hand releasing the collar around my neck when the human grabbed it as if to pull me back into the blade. The human had done enough. I could feel myself start to tumble into dust. 

Sans grasped me from behind and I felt the telltale sign of his rarely used healing magic.

I flipped the human off and used a shortcut with my remaining strength to take Sans and myself as far away as possible. In this case, it was the area outside the ruins, and not our home, like the human might expect.

I had done it.

I’d saved my brother.

My sockets closed, despite Sans’ insistence that I remain awake.

We both knew it was useless.

I was dusting and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

”don’t fight the human.” I mumbled.

Then, I didn’t think of anything more as darkness closed in.

-x-x-x-

What had Papyrus been thinking, getting in the way of the fight between the human and myself? He should have known better. My brother’s HP was so low he had to have known exactly what would happen if he placed himself into danger.

I grasped his hoodie and hugged it to my chest, despite the dust all over it. “Why, brother?” I mumbled, staring down at the hoodie. My hands gripped the fabric. “You can’t ask me to not go after...after the human after they hurt you like this...”

Naturally, there was no answer.

I became numb as time ticked by. The scenery passed me by as I made my way through the snow and all the way to Hotland, where I cornered the human. I fared better in battle with the heat all around us, but in the end, the human broke through my defenses with one dirty trick I hadn’t for seen.

Something had been thrown at me and I caught it reflexively as though it were an attack. I sucked in a very unnecessary breath as I realized just what was in my hand.

It was Papyrus’ collar.

I spent one moment to long staring at it, my soul squeezing at the sight of one of my brother’s belongings. The both of us had gotten so used to wearing it that we both tended to forget it was there.

It was foolish to take my eye lights off an enemy, and I paid for it. 

My HP began to be hacked away at as I attempted to regain my posture for battle but the grieving in my soul for my lost brother affected me to the extent I couldn’t put up any resistance.

“I’m sorry, Papyrus.” I didn’t know when I’d ended up on the ground, but I certainly felt the human stomp down with one of their feet.

...

I stood up straight in shock, as if there was an enemy invading my home. In the kitchen should have been safe, but one could never be too certain. My eye lights flickered curiously as I looked around for threats. Finding none, my gaze settled on Papyrus lazing at out kitchen table. His eye light met my own, and I studied the crack over his right eye socket.

Had that...

Had that scar always been there?

”somethin’ wrong, m’lord?”

“IT’S...IT IS NOTHING.” I turned away again, and focused on making my breakfast burritos. Nothing was the matter, as I transferred the food to the plates. “I AM MERELY IMPATIENT TO GET ON WITH MY PATROL FOR THE DAY.”

But...

I couldn’t help but feel I was missing something from my memory, despite knowing that this wasn’t possible. Last night had been a long patrol of both Waterfall and Snowdin, so perhaps only two hours of sleep led to this feeling.

Turning back to the table, I carried the plates over. 

“I DO HOPE YOU ARE NOT PLANNING ON SLEEPING AT YOUR SENTRY STATION TODAY, YOU LAZY MONGREL.” I looked across the table at my brother, only to see that I’d received a different response than was usual.

It was...disquieting, to see Papyrus stare at me so closely, since he’d been less inclined to engage with me after the...introduction to the collar, and other such clashes of his presentation in the royal guard to not bring down my position as captain that I’d taken from Alphys.

But whatever Papyrus saw, it must have not been important, as he looked down at the plate and picked at the burrito, quiet.

What an awkward start to the morning, what with the odd silence and my sense of missing a piece of a puzzle that didn’t exist.

I stabbed my burrito moodily, drawing a raised brow bone from Papyrus. 

Nothing to get worked up over.

I’d merely experienced a nightmare from lack of sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 10:  
> Theme/Prompts: They look so pretty when they bleed (blood loss, internal bleeding, trail of blood).  
> [Papyrus 1st POV]  
> Tags/warnings: dark, suicidal thoughts, blood and violence, self-harm (cutting), self-loathing, self-torture, forced-healing, angst, Papyrus has hit bottom after passing the 300 reset mark, scars now carry through resets.

I curled up in a corner of my closet, desperate to keeping my soul quiet so that Sans wouldn’t notice how distressed I was. But I was so numb and uncaring at this point I didn’t think anything but what I was doubt. I brought the sharp tip of a summoned bone attack to my wrist.

Bones dripping with purple marrow, I gnashed my fangs together as a long line of bone joined the myriad of marks along the rest of my ulna and radius.

Using blue magic, I directed several bones to jam into my opposite ulna and radius. 

It didn’t stop me from seeing Sans dust before my eyes.

The pain didn’t prevent me from choking on the dust the underground would eventually be coated in.

The agony of that knife cutting into my ribs and sternum deeper and deeper each time I faded the human in Judgement Hall.

I couldn’t take it any longer.

I had to stop feeling anything or I’d go mad and be useless to Sans.

One time.

This one time I would die by my own hands, and hope that the pain would stop me from thinking the next few resets.

”PAPYRUS!”

I paused at the sound of Sans yelling at me before merely continuing on. Letting sharp bones tear through my femur and across my left scapula in a harsh diagonal slash through the sigil Queen Toriel had carved into bone years and years ago.

Finaly, with all the lacerations and the sharp pieces of bone skewering my limbs, I was beginning to feel some relief. My thoughts had finally quieted, becoming background noise as I shakily lifted the bone in my hand. Placing it against my sternum, I thought about how best to manifest my soul and be fine with everything until the next reset happened.

It wasn’t to be.

For once, Sans’ magic overpowered mine.

I didn’t hear him enter my room. I didn’t even hear Sans look for me, or how he likely called my name several times. But I certainly felt that blue magic that wasn’t my own wrap around my soul, preventing my from automatically jamming the sharp bone in my hand into it.

Sans didn’t say anything now that he’d found me.

I simply stared at the bone in my hand and felt odd disappointment that I couldn’t have dusted myself faster and now had Sans privy to the state of my mental stability after so many resets.

Had I already started in on my bones before I reached the closet?

I couldn’t remember.

But I couldn’t hide within the corner of my mind that was awash with pain as Sans carefully extracted me from the closet. 

Was that whimper from me?

Or Sans?

Probably from me.

”Get rid of the attacks, Papy.”

Sans’ voice reached me this time and I felt like a terrible brother for the amount of anguish present in his voice. Like he couldn’t believe I’d nearly dust myself. The blue magic was firm but gentle around my soul, and as I began to come back from within the haze of agony, I saw and heard Sans attempting to stem tears that fell unbidden.

I...

I don’t remember the last time I’d seen Sans cried. It had to have been when he was a babybones.

”Hold still, Papy.” A hand rested over my sternum, and healing magic began to flow over me, both across my bones and within my soul, healing the large cracks that had appeared.

I let out a wheezing kind of protest, but I could do nothing more than twitch my limbs as a warm feeling pulled me into a fitful sleep, Sans’ soul pulsing in panic as he used up a lot of energy healing all the of the self-inflicted wounds.

Waking up again was hardest, due to the fact that another reset was yet to come, and the damage I had accumulated on my bones was still there. I’d unwillingly jostled my femurs where I’d really stabbed into bone. I felt something wrapped around the bones, and figured that even with my brother’s healing magic I was still covered in wounds. 

Lying on my side, a slowly clenched a hand in the sheets as I steadied myself and let my sockets open, hazy eye lights staring at nothing. 

Sans was seated in a chair next to what I assumed was my bed until I realized it was Sans’. Of course my brother wouldn’t believe that my room was sanitary enough to have my wounds treated. Though the idea of marrow everywhere likely was also a deciding factor. 

My brother was awake.

I dropped my gaze, staring at the crisp sheets instead. The collar around my neck sparked with fresh magic.

Comfort, safety, protection.

I could feel the intent strongly, and that was likely the point.

Sans didn’t say anything. He merely sat in the chair.

I don’t think I could have explained why I had done what I did.

Sans wouldn’t understand the torment of resets where I watched him die over and over.

I closed my sockets as Sans’ phalanges traced the line across ribs and sternum where the human always cut me with their blade.

”When did this happen?”

I weak trickle of laughter emitted from me unwillingly.

So, after all this time, not only did the socket wound from the times I’d managed to save Sans in past resets, but now the scars from the human killing me were beginning to remain. 

I was never going to escape the reminder of all of those resets.

And right now, I couldn’t help but let out a helpless choked sob as I opened my sockets and found myself on the couch downstairs.

No more.

I couldn’t take much more of this human toying with my life, my brother’s and the rest of the underground. 

“ARE YOU LAZING ABOUT ALREADY?”

I stood up and turned to face Sans, before I looked away, and removed my hoodie. I needed a distraction from the sudden reset, and having my brother’s eye lights get tiny was at least a little different from before.

”WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME THAT YOU WERE WOUNDED? YOUR HP!” 

I didn’t say a word, and only lay down on the couch to allow Sans to inspect the many chips and nicks and terrible scars that had been carved into my bones, both by the human and myself.

For the first time in a very long while, I couldn’t care less about what happened around me, or to me, so long as Sans was alive.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 11:  
> Psych 101 (defiance, struggling, crying)  
> [Papyrus 3rd POV]  
> Tags/Warnings: violence near children, unwilling child abandonment, grief and mourning, hopelessness. Basically this is one of the main reasons why Papyrus doesn’t like to make promises.

_“Stay here, Papyrus_.” His father’s voice was urgent. “ _Don’t make a sound. Wait until the coast is clear, and then run, with Sans. Run as far away from New Home as you can_ **.** ” Skeletal hands rested on either of Papyrus’ shoulders. “ _Do you understand_?”

“Why?” The eight year old skeleton monster clung to his father’s hands before they could move away. “Aren’t you coming with us?”

Sans, huddled against Papyrus’ side, had wide eye lights flickering between Gaster and Papyrus. The one year old baby bones clearly didn’t understand even though he’d rested up a bit at the unease rolling off the other two skeletons.

“ _Promise me your will stay silent. Your life depends_ on it, _as well as that of your brother’s_.” Gaster gently ran a hand over Sans’ skull. “ _Take care of him. He’s not ready to live in this world of theirs. I’m sorry for making you live it sooner as well.”_ Gaster produced a soft blanket and wrapped Sans in it before pressing the bundle into Papyrus’ arms. Gaster’s sharp fangs were warped into a  
grim frown. “ _If they hear you, they may kill you both.”_

“Why would they...?” Papyrus stilled as he looked into his father’s eye lights, before his arms subconsciously wrapped around Sans.

 _”Promise me. Not matter what you may see or hear...promise you will run when you are able to.”_ Gaster’s tone became urgent as his eye lights began to flow purple, his fangs snicking together as he stepped away from his sons.

“i...i promise.” Papyrus whispered against the top of his brother’s skull. 

Gaster hesitated, before he drew Papyrus into a swift hug, resting his jaw against the top of Sans’ skull. Then, Gaster drew back, and stood up. With a low sigh, and a straightening of his spine, Gaster swiftly walked away from the smaller skeletons. He didn’t get very far before he was forced to block several attacks from monsters who seemed to have materialized out of nowhere.

Papyrus pressed Sans’ face to his sternum so that the baby bones couldn’t see what was happening. But Papyrus watched. He wanted to see what happened. Wanted to see why his father had told him to run with his baby brother. 

The sight made Papyrus’ soul churn, having never seen that kind of violence before.

Gaster was being overwhelmed, but at the last moment, he broke away, wounded. He didn’t even pause before he led the group of monsters away from the area. Led them far away, until Papyrus couldn’t hear anything but his accelerated breathing, and Sans fussing because of being held so tightly.

Papyrus felt the sting of tears as they fell but he swiftly stood.

It was quiet.

He didn’t feel that distrusting violent intent any longer.

Papyrus settled Sans in his arms, and then, he started to run. He needed to find a place of safety he no longer had.

It hurt him to not know what happened to their father. But Gaster wanted him to run, and Papyrus had promised him.

Tears continued to fall but they went ignored.

Papyrus would protect his brother, but he knew, even as young as he was, that the ache in his soul would linger for a very long time.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 12  
> Theme/Prompts: I think I’ve broken something  
> [Gaster 1st POV]  
> (Broken down, broken bones, broken trust)  
> Tags/Warnings: violence, despair, hopelessness, fear for child’s life

I had run out of options. I knew it would inevitably have happened, but there was still a part of me that had hoped it wouldn’t have come to this.

Broken bones were hell on skeleton monsters, but I had learned a very difficult lesson.

I and my son were no longer safe in this place, where I’d been working as a consultant of making navigation easier within the underground.

We had to go, broken bones healed or not.

Femur. Ulna. Radius. Jawbone. 

There were other injuries that I’d had healed already but there was a limit to my magic. I needed rest and a safe place to stay with Papyrus.

It still boggled me that I had a babybones to take care of now. Not yet a year old and still dependent on me to make sure he had food and shelter.

I could only hope that an old friend would take me in. 

Papyrus was sleepy and snuggled within the blanket I had wrapped him in, unbroken arm holding him against the cloak I wore.

My sockets squinted as I stretched my magic out to sense for any ill intent. It hurt, those old cracks over my right socket and one under my left. It wouldn’t do to have my magic sensed while trying to run away further from danger, so I hid my magic as best I could while wounded, and began to limp along.

Papyrus didn’t fuss, merely sighing and pressing his tiny skull against my uninjured shoulder.

I would protect him as best I could.

The Queen wouldn’t have either of us. It didn’t matter to me how our magic would prove useful to her and the royal guard. I would do my duties as a neutral party I saw fit. There was no way I was going to work for the Queen with the way she ran the underground’s politics. 

” _We’ll be to our new home soon_.” I murmured to Papyrus.

Whether it would be a long term place to stay remained to be seen.

Remaining truly neutral was difficult in this terrible home of ours.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day thirteen  
> Theme/Prompt: Breathe In Breathe Out (delayed drowning)  
> [Papyrus 3rd pov]  
> Tags/Warnings: attempted drowning, EXP gain, angst.

Papyrus couldn’t breathe.

Funny, since he had no lungs.

But the magic was stifling. 

Out of control.

He was floundering, desperate to get his own magic under control. 

Papyrus couldn’t afford to have his magic do anything other than what he wanted it to do. Especially right now, because there he was, in Waterfall, of all places, and being held beneath the water by a monster who thought it would be amusing to dust him via drowning.

It shouldn’t work.

Papyrus didn’t want to let the monster find out.

Control.

He needed control over his magic.

Papyrus had to get home to Sans.

Feigning weakness, Papyrus felt the monster assailing him loosen their grasp. Blindly, Papyrus lashed out with a burst of magic, hoping his aim was true despite being underwater. Papyrus felt a hike in EXP, but the moment they dusted, Papyrus realized he was too weakened to take himself out of the water.

Before regrets could make their way in, Papyrus felt his soul become surrounded by blue, and then, he was being dragged forcefully to the surface by that magic.

A familiar magic.

A crying, striped clothed Sans brought Papyrus to the side of the pool, before flinging himself against his brother’s drenched form.

Papyrus didn’t say anything but he pulled his younger brother closer with a sigh. He needed a break from all these monsters trying to use him as free EXP.


End file.
